Improvement in connecting fire-detecters with the alarm



' 2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

H.L.BROWER.

Fire Alarm.

j Patented NO lOQQZ.

2 Sheets-Sheet H. L. BROWER.

Fire Alarm.

' 110.109,292. Patented 110V. 15,1870.

lmzgj Wf//WU Mu/MW mmm www N.FETEHS. PMuTo-IJTHOGHAFMER, WASHINGTON. D C4 ated @titte HENRY L. BROWER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORTO CHARLES D. FRED- ERICKS, OF SAME PLAGE.

Letters Patent No. 109,292', dated November 15, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN CONNECTING FIRE-DETECTERS WITH THE ALARM.

The Schedule referred to in these LettersPatent and making part o the same.

making a part of this speciication, being numbered No. l and No. 2.

Figures 1 and l" represent front views of dre-detecting apparatus embodying` my invention 5 Figures Zand 2 represent views of parts thereof upon an enlarged scale; and

Figures 3 and i? representtransverse sections of the detectors. Y

In mechanical lire-detectors heretofore made cach thermo-detecter, or detecter of an increased temperature, has been connected with the alarm-giver or annunciator by a separate wire extending from the dotector the entire dist-ance to thc annunciatorfas many wires being required as there are detectors.

In a building where there are many rooms, or where the -rooms are large and require many detectors, the number of wires required to transmit signals, ihereti'n'e, corresponds with the number of detectors.

The object of my invention is to obviate the necessity of employing so many separato wires extending to the anuunciator.; and

)Iy invention consists, iirst, ot' tho combination of a serios of two or more thermo-detectors with the annunciator, through the intervention ol' a single wire, which transmits lthe signals of any ono'ot' the detccters in thc series to the annunciator.

My invention consists further of the combination ot` the detecter with a tripping-lover', or its equivalent, by means of which thc detecter is caused vto transmit a signal toward the annnneiator. My invention may be carried into effect iu several ways, two of which are represented upon a small scale at ligs. l and l, in cach of which a series ofthrce dctecters, Z Z and Z', is connected with thoamiunciator l, through the intervention of a single wire, E, which transmits to the annunciator the signal given by any one detect-cr ot' the series.

'lhe old and the improved system are l'ully shown in drawing No. 1. at fie'. 2. Y

In this caso there are iwo detectors, Z Z, in the series, cach of which is fitted with a thcrmometric spring, which, when heated beyond thc predetermined temperature,'releases a weight, XV, that, by turning on a pivot, imparts motion to a catch-lover, L, thereby releasing a lever, C, which, being connected with an annuuciator by a wire,l slacks that wire and transmits asignal to the anuunciator.

According t0 the old system, thc detecter Z furthest from the annnnciator, and the detecter Z' nearest the annunciator, would be connected with it by the separato wiresA* and E extending all the way to the annnnciator, the two wires A" and E being side by side the whole length of the shorter wire.

By my system bot-h detectors, Z Z', are combined with the annnnciator through theinterventiou of the same wire E, and the employment of the separate wire A is dispensed with.

'lhe mode in which the signals are transmitted through the one wire, E, is'as follows: l

- The detecter V nearest the'annunciator is fitted with a tripping-level', B, having a stud 01 pin, P, at its lower' end, in such position that when the lever' is vibratetl the pin is caused to pass under the catolilever L, and to raise it sufficiently to loose the lever C, which is connected with thel aunuuoiator by the wire E, so as to slack that wire and pass a signal.

".ihe outer arm of the tripping-lever B is connected with a wire, A, extending from the preceding detecter Z of tho series, and a spring, S,is applied to the tripping-lever B to bear against and move it whenever the connecting-wire A is slackod.

Hence, whenever the further detecter Z passes a signal by slacking the connecting-wire A, the trippinglover l of the next succeeding detecter is moved by its spring S, the levers L C of that detecter are op-- cratcd,.aml thc signal is thus transmitted through the connecting-wire E extending toward the annunciator.

The wire extending between anyintermediate detecter in the serios', and vthe aununciator thus transmits a signal from any one of the preceding detectors ot' the series, however many there may be, and the enniloymout ot` sepa-rato parallel wires is dispensed with. f

The construction of the series represented at drawing No. J is represented upon an enlarged scale at figs. .l and 3". ,f

In this example the detectors Z Zr are constructed differently from those before described, each having a weighted pendulum, V, which i/s'constructed to turn upon a pivot near the lower end of the frame of the detecter, and is maintained in au inverted position until released therefrom, either by the expansion of a thermometric spring, l, or by the passage of a signal l'rom anoceding detecter in the series.

In this case, according to the old system, the detecter' Z further from the aununciator would be connected with it by a wire, A, and the detecter Z nearer tho anmmciator would be connected with it by a separate wire, E, extending side by side with the wire A".

By my improvement the wire E transmits the signalsol' both ofthe detectors Z Z', and of as many more as there might bc in the series beyond the first Z.

In order to citect this the detecter Z nearer the annuneiator is fittedxwith the tripping-lever B, which is connected at one end with the preceding detecter Z by the wire A, and at theother end is fitted with a wedge, X, for the purpose of liberatingl the inverted pendnhu'n \V, and permitting it to turn over by gravity and to pass a signal.

A spring, S, also, is provided to move the trippinglever B and cause it to liberate the pendulum whenever the connecting-wire A, extending from the -prcceding detecter in the series is'slacked.v

Hence, 'whenever the further detecter passes a sig; nal, it is communicated through the tripping-lever, and next succeeding detecter '1, to the wire E extending toward the annunciator, and is transmitted through that wire. This wire E, therefore, transmits a signal from any one of the preceding deteeters to the annunciator, and the employment of separate wires, extentiing side by side, is dispensed with.

The smallest number of detecters which constitutes a series upon my system is two, but the number may be increased indefinitely, each intermediate detecter, when constructed as above described7 being provided with a tripping-lever, or its equivalent, to pass the signal from the next preceding detecter. in the series.

The operation ot' an intermediate detecter in transmitting a signal does not in any respect affect its independent action in passing a signal, because theI movable weight of each detecter is not trammeled nor han'ipered in any manner by the tripping-lever, or the connection from the preceding detecters in the series,

but is free to be operated by the thermometric spring or indicator peculiar to the detecter of which th e movable weight forms part, in the same manner and with the same effect as if each detecter of the series was connectcd'with the annuneiator by a separate wire appropriated to itself.

Having thus described two modes, in which I have contemplated tlic application of the principle of my invention, I declare that I am aware thateleetro-rnagnetic alarms have been constructed, in which two .or more devices for making or breaking the electric circuit have been connected with an annunciator by the same wire, but the combination and it-s mode of-operation are substantially different, in many respects, from my invention.

What 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Iatent, is v 1. The combination of a series of detecters with the annunciator by means of a single wire, which transmits the signal passed by each detecter of the series, substantially as before set forth.

2. The combination of the detecter with a trippinglcvcr, by means ot' which the detecter is caused to transmit a si gna-l from a preceding detecter toward the annuneiator, substantially as before set forth.

. HENRY L. BROWER.

Witnesses:

G. D. FREDRIGKS, N. L. Bnownn. 

